User:Nikkilazan

I am Nikki Anne Lazan (né: Jackson, Lewis). My greatest two interests are: sociology and sexology. The study of mankind, social norms, cultural difference, and of Philias vs Phobias, fascinates me. Dictionary.com is my daily go to for vocabulary calisthenics!

I have an autoimmune disease called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) AKA: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). It puts the body in a constant stasis of "Fight or Flight" as opposed to the natural stasis of "Rest and Digest". First diagnosed in my left arm as Cubital Tunnal Syndrome (The "funny bone" which is actually your Ulnar Nerve and NOT a bone at all) which caused ligaments to impinge on the Ulnar Nerve. This will cause the Middle through Pinkie fingers to become numb. As opposed to the more common Carpal Tunnal Sundrom (CTS) which leaves the thumb through the middle finger numb. Left undiagnosed for over 2 years, it confused the brain into thinking this was normal and therefore RSD was born. You DO NOT put braces on extremities with RSD. It will CAUSE more damage.

The RSD was first dx in April of 2001 and after a few Stalite Ganglion Blocks (a nerve block applied in the Ganglion nerve in the neck under "twilight sleep" and an X-ray machine to find the nerve). It then "mirrored" to the right arm. Then, in June of 2003, I woke up with "drop foot". This is normally associated with a spinal cord injury. After a battery of x-rays and MRIs, it was determined, by process of elimination (the ONLY way to get an RSD dx because there are no blood tests, labs, etc that show RSD) it was, again, determined it had spread to my lower extremities. In February of 2003, I underwent a spinal cord stimulator implant to cover my upper extremities with electrical stimulation via interferentual waves. This failed and was removed in September of the same year. Because I underwent surgery in my spine, this caused the RSD to soread, yet again, into the nerve columns that run down either side of the spine. I was then pronounced with full body, systemic RSD.

RSD affects all the involuntary signals the brain sends out (electrically, via synapsis) to the body. These signals regulate or cause: allodynia /al·lo·dyn·ia/ (-din´e-ah) pain produced by a non-noxious stimulus, neuropathy [noo͡-rop´ah-the] any of numerous functional disturbances and pathologic changes in the peripheral nervous system, cardio vasculatory regulation (I'm at constant tachycardia, heart rate at 120 and above), body temperature control (feet are ice cold but I am sweating buckets), loss of any appetite, PNES (Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures), and many more issues. (Please reference RSDS.org) A mere brush of my arm by someone's fingertips can feel like I am being cut by a razor blades.

I am also a 2%er. I am a natural redhead (#MC1R) the gene that produces red hair. Only 2% of the worlds population are red heads. We are unique, in that, we have an extremely high tolerance to pain and, in turn, have an extremely high tolerance to pain medication. When the implant into my spine of the SCS (Spinal Cord Stimulator) occurred, a procedure that should take about 45-60 minutes, mine took 6 hours as I kept "waking up" on the operating table. The anesthesiologist needed to use 3 vials of Versed on me as opposed to half-1 vial. We redheads also are stubborn and known for our tempers.

I am medically retired from my position as a Correctional Depity with a county Sheriff's dept. The RSD was a result of "continuous trauma" to my upper extremities do to the cuffing and uncuffing of inmates and opening and closing metal cell doors with no door handle to hold. RSD can be caused by blunt force trauma, any kind of surgery, and continuous trauma. The brain does not "reset" itself back to the "rest and digest" mode when healing. Instead, it get "stuck" in a perpetual "fight or flight" mode that our bodies were only made to be in approximately 5% of our lives. Think about a car accident and people telling you you will hurt more tomorrow. That is because the brain is switching from all the adrenaline and norepinephrine [nor″ep-ĭ-nef´rin] a catecholamine that is the neurotransmitter of most sympathetic postganglionic neurons and also of certain tracts in the central nervous system, and going back to "rest and digest", so you no longer have the brains happy chemicals that act like a narcotic to keep you from going into shock.

I am an Orange County native but never liked the beach. (*See red head). I now live in Nevada, close to the Eastern Sierra mountains. I have found that I am most comfortable in this climate. Do to less stress; no more bumper to bumper, 1 finger waving individuals, the high stress levels of people living in a part of the state where the cost of living keeps sky rocketing and they are living paycheck to paycheck, I have not had one seizure. My stress level, the beautiful surrounding, people waving with all five fingers, everyday folk say hi, how are you and actually wait for your answer, and a cost of living on my fixed income that has allowed me to actually save money, I am a much happier woman.